1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatuses utilized for loading and unloading materials in general and to an apparatus with a locking mechanism for the latching and unlatching of materials suspended from a lifting line in particular.
2. Prior Art
Devices used to load and unload materials for construction and maintenance purposes at residential, commercial, and industrial facilities are well known in the prior art, however, there remains a need for their improvement. For example, in many cases, after a load has been transported and properly positioned in preparation for its release, many prior art loading devices are constructed so that personnel are required to travel to the top of the lifted load in order to detach it from the loading device. Besides involving the risk of fall hazards, this procedure is also time consuming and costly, as it requires ground crew and machinery to slow their operations or come to a stand-still while the task is completed. In addition, many prior art loading devices are neither safe nor reliable as they tend to inadvertently and/or prematurely release the attached load and therefore do not provide for a secure load coupling. Furthermore, many prior art loading devices do not provide for a load-activated locking mechanism that adjusts to the weight of the sling and hardware utilized to attach the load to the device, thereby resulting in a premature locking.
For these reasons, a loading device meeting the following objectives would be highly desirable in the construction industry.